The weather is starting to get colder and colder. As the trees no longer has their leaves, it's already safe to say that winter is on its way to Japan.

While I'm riding my bicycle to school, I passed some stores and establishments now decorated with red balls. Some even put a statue of the old man in red pyjamas.

Yes, Christmas is already close, only about a week before the fried chicken holiday. I wonder how such food became a staple in Japanese Christmas celebration. If that was only because of some perfectly executed marketing strategy, I hope they'll do the same with MAX coffee so that there will be a MAX coffee holiday.

Regardless, such holiday is just a normal day for me. But don't get me wrong. I still like Christmas because it marks the start of winter break. For me, at least in my previous years, such holiday will be as uneventful as any other days.

Unfortunately, as the student council president, I'm pretty sure I'll be roped into some sort of school Christmas event. Knowing Hiratsuka-sensei, I'm sure she'll do anything in her power to make this student council led by me to be busier than the previous line of officers. She's doing it because she's strangely obsessed in changing me for the "better".

At first, I wanted to completely oppose the idea of changing because it's just a form of running away, and believe me, I still do. However, I can't deny that most of my current ideologies and beliefs are just products of change. In that case, even if I don't do anything unnatural to myself, then that means I didn't run away and that's just my "character development" doing its work.

And with all that unnecessary monologues out of the way, I finally reached the gate of Sobu high.

...

All the student council officers plus Meguri-senpai are currently gathered here in the office for our not-that-significant council activities. Actually no, there's nothing we do here that is related to the student council. Zaimokuza is busy writing his "masterpiece" novel, Kawasaki is fiddling with her phone, Meguri-senpai studying for her exams, and me just reading some random isekai light novel. Ah yes, our new treasurer Kogure is also here but is also studying.

The odd thing is because Meguri-senpai is the one occupying my own desk instead of me. I didn't mind because she need a lot of table space for her study materials and I currently has no need of my desk.

The only thing I'm slightly concerned is if someone would enter here and saw what we're doing right now. One would immediately assume that Meguri-senpai is doing some council works while the rest are just slacking off. I wouldn't care much if it's just myself, but that kind of misunderstanding will surely affect Meguri-senpai as she's the one who chose me as the president.

With that, I went to the back and pulled an extra chair then placed it in front of my own desk. After setting that thing up, I asked Meguri-senpai to move to the chair I just placed.

"Senpai, could you please transfer at the seat in front? I'm afraid our current sitting positions will cause a misunderstanding if someone enters here."

She looked up to me then stood up. "Yeah, right." then moved to the chair I pointed.

As she resumed studying, I just sat at my own chair staring at her mindlessly. Not that I'm really trying to stare at her face, I just somehow feel comfortable while doing so.

To think that I will be spending time with her like this, it's not a situation a previous version of me would even think of. It's actually like a script Zaimokuza would write, minus the jumbled English-named powers and magical swords. I mean, I've always considered as an insignificant nobody in this school and the one casually spending time with is the one that literaly holds the highest position a student can have in school. This really is a cliché in a romcom story. But at least she's not the most beautiful girl according to most students' standards so it's not that cliché.

Why in the world am I thinking of Meguri-senpai in a romantic setting? In fact, this is getting too frequent than to my liking!

Then out of nowhere, Hiratsuka-sensei appeared, sliding the door violently like a shounen anime character making an entrance. Damn this lab coat obsessed chunni! For some reason, she somehow reminds me of... Oh my God, I was doing the same with my dad's long coat not too long ago!

"Hey Hikigaya, I have an assignment for the student council!"

As expected, it's only a matter of time before she gives us an assignment and I'm pretty sure this will be something related to Christmas.

"Uh, hi sensei." I greeted and the others also followed with their own greeting. "What's the assignment you're giving to us?"

Hiratsuka-sensei made herself comfortable by leaning at the wall near my desk, possibly trying to look cool. She succeeded, by the way. "Getting excited, are we? By the way, nice lineup you got here."

The others just shyly bowed to her compliment. I was thankful that she didn't pointed out the fact that most of them are the majority of my acquaintances. Yes, my circle of acquaintances are that small.

"Uh... thanks?" was all I could reply.

"Okay. So back to what I'm going to to announce, Sobu and Kaihin Sougou high will be having a joint Christmas event. As for the details of the event, it well be upon the planning of the student council of both schools." she said while handing me some documents which I'm sure is related to the task.

Now that's troublesome. Just when I'm barely even having a grasp of my responsibility, I will be instantly thrown into a high difficulty task that only a social butterfly would find easy.

For me, this task will surely be very difficult as I'm pretty sure I don't have the magic words to make the student council officers of the other school hear me. I'm not by any means self depreciating, I'm just speaking from experience. As what I've observed, the typical member of the student council is always at the higher end of the social ladder. And yes, most, not all, tends to look down on people. Because I'm already used to many people looking down on me, I can pretty much see where this is going.

I can only hope that what I'm expecting is wrong.

I took a glance on my other officers only to see them agree, only because they know Hiratsuka-sensei will force us otherwise. With that, I can't help but agree to what she's assigning to us, not that any further refusal will be effective against her.

"When will we be starting with our meetings?" I asked.

"You can start as soon as tommorow, or anytime you want as long as everything will be ready to go before the event day." She then went to the door as she's done with her business here. "Good luck with the planning, students." I thought for a second that she's gonna refer us as "kids".

As soon as she's out of the office, I let out a long sigh.

"Everyone, as what you've heard, we will be having our very first assignment. Can I expect your full support in this?" I sounded like a politician.

"Of course, comrade. I won't pass this opportunity to conque-"

"Thank you very much." I interrupted him before everyone in this room gets grossed out by him. "I would like to start our planning meeting tommorow afternoon, is that a suitable time for you guys?" I'm actually making plans, albeit not for leisure purposes.

The first one to respond is Kawasaki. "Yeah, but I need to get my sister during that times. Can I bring my sister along during meeting?"

"I think you're responsible enough to handle your own sibling so, yes." Good thing that it's her sister she's bringing along. If it would be his insect of a brother, I don't think I'll allow her to bring him along.

"It's decided then, we'll just have to inform our respective clubs that we will be skipping club activities for a few days for this matter." I then turned my attention back to Kawasaki. "Kawasaki, can you make us a printed excuse letters to be given to our respective clubs?" Yes, clubs here are that strict and I just wanted to be sure we won't have any issues in skipping club activities.

"Sure." Without wasting any time, she immediately went to the computer at the corner of the office and started typing the contents of the letter to be printed.

While I'm busy with this whatever documents Hiratsuka-sensei gave to me, my peripheral vision somehow caught a glimpse of Meguri-senpai looking at me. I instantly focused on her for a moment. With the side of her face lazily resting at her left palm, she's kinda staring at me with the most relaxed expression I saw on her face.

With my discomfort, or comfort overdose rather, I managed to break the staring contest.

"Uh senpai, you're staring." Though I kinda wanted her to continue. Wait, what am I thinking?

"Ah, sorry. I'm just happy that you really are a full-fledged president. It kinda makes me proud because I'm the one who asked you to run for the position."

"Thank you, senpai."

She just flashed my a smile in response to my gratitude, which actually made me more anxious about my position. Senpai is now starting to make an ideal image of me which is a diligent president. Strangely, the pressure I feel is both alleviated yet it's intensifying.

Maybe I'm just thinking too hard on this matter. As what I've said: A problem isn't a problem if nobody sees it as one. And the first person that should start seeing this current problem as "not a problem" is me.

...

During club hours, I informed Yukinoshita and Yuigahama about the upcoming event that requires my absence in the club for a few days until Christmas. Maybe I'm just imagining things but now that I'm not in club for the next day, they can have their yuri sessions.

Seriously, although they might be unintentional, some of their interactions can get sexual, at least from the eyes of a teenage boy like myself. I sometimes even purposely leave the club room for a few minutes just avoid the buildup of deviant thoughts in my head. Yes, I'm a true gentleman, I don't give in to my carnal desires.

I left the club a bit earlier because for some reason, Meguri-senpai is waiting for me just outside the club room. I don't what she wants but I'm pretty sure it involves the student council.

"Uh senpai, you don't have to wait for me like this."

"Don't be silly, I don't mind waiting at all. So, shall we go now?"

"Go where?" I have no idea.

"We're going to a donut shop!" she replied with a happy and excited expression on her face. "I noticed that you like sweet things and this will probably relieve you of the pressure of the upcoming event." She's actually thinking about my situation. A true caring senpai indeed.

"Is that so? Thank you, senpai. Are the others coming also? I think they can also use some winding up."

"I asked them but they refused because they're busy. Zaimokuza-kun also said some weird stuff I didn't understand and just ran off. I wonder if I did something wrong." Ah! Even I got embarrassed by his own actions!

"He's just shy with girls in general. Maybe he's talking about the novel he's writing so he's kinda busy." I replied while we're walking down the stairs of the main building's entrance.

"You really are good friends, aren't you?"

Although we both won't admit it, and I still kinda don't wanna, I think he's the closest thing to a friend to me. Especially Zaimokuza, he'll just say something like "A strong general only has himself as someone to trust and no one else.". See, I can even more or less guess what he's thinking.

"Maybe." I just gave a vague reply.

...

I can't believe it, I'm actually at a place the likes of Yuigahama would like to go to. As somewhat cute yet classy donut shop not far from Sobu. Majority of customers occupying the establishment are teenage girls and some drained-to-the-core corporate slaves who could use the burst of energy given by sugar rush.

To better suit my tastes, I ordered a coffee, mocha-coated donuts, and few assorted ones to be brought home. Senpai ordered just one cutesy-colored donut and a drink that I didn't bother knowing. For me, the only drinks I consider drinking are just coffee (preferably MAX), tea, and water. As the drink she ordered isn't one of the three, I didn't bother knowing what kind of drink it is.

We spent a few minutes talking about stuff, mostly about her giving some advices as the former student council president. As a newbie, I could really use them as I don't expect senpai to be my side all the time, better collect necessary information while it's available.

"Ah, I forgot that I still need to buy some books for reviewing. See you tomorrow, Hikigaya-kun!"

Senpai then stood up and prepared to leave the shop, while giving me a small wave of her hand.

"Uh yeah, bye senpai." I waved at her as I'm back again at my solitude.

It really is true that coming here relieved me from the pressure of the upcoming event. Although we mostly talked about council, which adds more pressure if you'll ask other people, the knowledge I acquired and to know that someone supports me is enough to remove my slight anxiety.

Well, no matter what happens, I'll see through this event to its end.

A/N: And just like that, I'll be using the Christmas collab with Kaihin Sougou for this fic. For a fic like this which involves the student council, I think this arc(?) is best that I could use from the canon.